Automatic ore-sampler.



No. 679,574a Patentm luly 30, IQOI. G. D. POTTER.

AUTDHATIC ORE SAMLEIL (Application led Feb. :111n IQQL) (No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 679,574.v Patented luly 30, |90I.

G. D. POTTER. AUTOMATIG DRE SAMPLER.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. POTTER, OF WALLACE, IDAHO.

AUTOMATIC ORE-SAMPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,574, dated July 30, 1901.

Application filed February 21, 1901. Serial No. 48,353. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Wallace, in the county of Shoshone and State of Idaho, have invented a certain new and usefullmprovementin Automatic Ore-Samplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of' devices or apparatus by means of which portions of ore in transit or motion are cut out from the mass, to be thereafter used in assaying and other purposes as samples representative of the whole mass. In my invention I provide for the periodical deflection into a separate receptacle of a portion of the mass as the whole mass passes to its destination Without drag in a positive manner and without jar to the machinery.

I prefer to use this automatic sampler in connection with some form of conveyer on which the ore is moved at uniform speed and without sliding or falling, so that gravity may not act upon the ore to cause a separation of the coarse and fines. I will therefore describe the invention as used in connection with such a conveyer.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one-half of parts of a double sampler, hopper, and conveyer. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the pulley and cams and plungers. Fig. 3 is an elevation of parts of the boot and spout. Fig. 4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, the conveyer being omitted, showing means for shifting the split shovel across the spout. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the shifting-gearing of Figs. 5 and 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectivelyT a front elevation and a side elevation of a modified form of shifting means.

4 is the upper pulley of an inclined belt conveyer 5, fixed to a shaft 6, which may be driven by bevel-gear 7, Figs. 2 and 4. A sort of tappet motion is used to transmit motion from shaft G to the hopper in obtaining the samples, as follows: On shaft 6 are fixed blocks 3 and 9 in holes in which are arranged the forked plungers 10 and 11, normally projected by coiled springs 12 and 13, interposed between the hea-ds of the plungers and the blocks. These plungers have beveled lugs 14 and 15. On the timber 16 is secured a stationary cam 17, in alinement with the lug 14 and having a curved inner surface eccentric with relation to the shaft 6, and consequently eccentric with relation tothe said lug. This cam 17 is arranged above the timber. On a bracket on the timber 16 is arranged a similar cam 18, projecting downwardly from said timber and in alinement with the lug 15, and also having a curved inner surface which is eccentric with relation to the shaft 6 and said lug 15. The cam 17 has a drop-off 19, and below this drop-0ff the said cam is pierced to form a bearing for a plunger-rod 20. The cam 18 similarly has a drop-olf 21, and next to this drop-off the said cam is pierced for the passage of a plungerrod 22. The plunger-rod 20 is jointed to a lever 23, which is pivoted to a bar 24 or any suitable portion of the framing of the machinery, and the plunger-rod 22 is jointed to a lever 25, which is pivoted to a bar or other suitable portion 26 of the framing.

27 is a double hopper suitably supported to receive the discharge from the conveyer 5, and inasmuch as the illustration of my invention for convience is confined to only one pocket of this double hopper the corresponding description will be similarly restricted, it being understood that the mechanism is duplicated for the other pocket. To the lower end of the hopper is pivoted a boot 28 in such a way as to have a right and left swinging motion relatively to the position of parts shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and this boot opens into a spout 29, suspended or arranged belowit. The levers 23 and 25 are jointed at 30 to the swinging boot 2S by means of links 31 and 32, respectively, the point of union being below the pivotal point of the boot, and the boot has rigidly fixed to it a bracket 33, Figs. 1 and 3, to which is secured one end of a spring 34, the other end of the spring being secured to a hanger 35, fixed to a timber 3G, upon which the boot is pivoted to swing, and this spring is arranged on the dead-center of the swinging boot, so that when said boot is moved into its various positions the spring will serve to hold it positively in each position when thrown.

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37 is what is known as a split shovel, which may be a trough-like device and is arranged to project into the spout 29 and so that its inner end will rest about midway between the bottom and outer edge of the said spout, or relatively to the swinging boot, to one side of the said swinging boot and out of its path of discharge when said swinging split shovel will be in the path of discharge shaft, compressing their springs.

of said swinging boot.

The blocks 8 and 9 are attached to the shaft in an adjustable manner, as by set-screws, so that the plungers 10 and 11 may be arranged on the shaft at any desired angle relatively to each other or to the horizontal axial plane of the said shaft. As illustrated in the drawings, these plungers are arranged so that their lugs relatively to their action upon the rods 2O and 22 are distant about thirty-six degrees, or one-tenth of a circle, with their cams on opposite sides of the shaft,so that they will successively as the shaft revolves be brought to a horizontal line in the corresponding plane of the shaft in one-tenth of a revolution. As the said plungers revolve they are respectively brought into contact with the curved inner sides of the cams 17 and 18 and by said cams will be forced backward or toward the When the plungers pass the drop-offs I9 and 21, respectively, they are free to be actuated by their respective springs, by which they are projected against the ends of the plunger-rods and 22 in turn. If now, referring toFig. 1, the rotation be toward the right, the lug 14 in leaving the curved surface of the cam 17 will strike the plunger-rod 2O and under the force of its spring 12 will project said plunger-rod to the right and through the lever 23 and link 3l will swing the boot 28 to the left, so as to cause the said boot to discharge over the split shovel 37. This will result in throwing the plungerrod 22 to the right, so as to place its inner end in alinement with the curved surface of the cam 18 and in position to be acted upon by the lug 15 when said lug reaches that point. Thus it Will be seen that when 'lug 15 reaches the plunger-rod 22 the said plunger-rod will be moved to the left, and the boot, through lever 25 and link 32, will be moved again to the right and the split shovel thus be cut out of the path of discharge of the material passing through the said boot. It will thus be seen that the tappet motion causes the boot to remain over the spout exclusively during ninetenths of a revolution of the shaft and over the split shovel during one-tenth of a revolution of said shaft, and hence thesplit shovel carries off only a relatively small quantity of the mass being discharged and that the portion not caught by the split shovel falls back into the spout, whence it passes out with the rejected portion. It will be understood, of

course, that the spout 29 leads toone receptacle and the split shovel to another and separate receptacle. Thus the sample is obtained Without drag in a positive manner and without jar to the machinery.

I am aware that other forms of sample-deiectors than swinging boots are used in samplers having a similar general object in viewas, for example, a blade pivoted to the bottom of the hopper and capable of being thrown back and forth across a stream of falling ore, so as to divert a portion as a sample; but my construction is decidedly advantageous over such a construction in that no lines can escape into the sample when the swinging boot is in the rejecting position, whereas in the use of the vibrating blade it is not possible to exclude the lines. Another advantage possessed by my construction is that a portion of the stream of ore may be diverted without obstructing the flow or fall of the main body. Another advantage possessed by my apparatus is that the adjustability of the actuating- .plungers admits of variation in the proportion of ore diverted for the sample.

It will-be observed from the foregoing that the projection of the sample-selecting mechanism into the path of the descending mass of ore is accomplished automatically and from the shaft which carries the conveyor.

I/Vhile I have thus shown and described what is at the present time the best mode in which I have contemplated applying the principle of my invention, I wish not to be understood as limiting my invention to the specitic details of construction, excepting as the same are hereinafter particularly made parts of the claims. Hence it is Within my invention to use a stationary boot and a swinging split shovel, and, moreover, by the use of the term of split shovel I do not mean to confine my invention to a device of the construction shown and described, although I prefer what is technically known as a split shovel. Inasmuch as the split shovel serves also as a spout to convey away the sample I mean to include not only a split shovel, but any equivalent construction by the use of the term spout, and I differentiate the two by designating the former the main spout and the latter the auxiliary spout.

Having described my invention in its simpler form, I will now proceed to describe other attachments by which a more uniform grade and weight of sample will be insured. In this connection I refer to Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, showng various forms of my oscillating attachment to split shovel. In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, 29 is the spout, to an opening in which a sliding shield 39 is applied by means of bearings 40 and 41, so that said shield is free to be slid back and forth across the opening in the front of the spout, while it is of sufficient length to close at all times said opening, thereby preventing spilling of material passing into and through said spout. The split shovel 37 is passed through an orifice in said shield IOO IIO

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and projected part way across said spout, as heretofore set forth; but it is not rigidly attached to said shield. A clamp 43 embraces the lower end of the split shovel 37 and has a pivot bolt or pin 44 attached to its lower side, whereby said split shovel is pivoted to suitable framework and retained in its proper position longitudinally and at the same time is capable of being oscillated or swung back and forth laterally of the spout.

45 is a crown-ratchet, the back half of which is shown in partial section, and 46 is a pawl pivoted to the reciprocating bar 32 and engaging in the teeth of the crown-ratchet. 47 is a vertical shaft supported by boxes on suitable framework, and to one end of which said crown-ratchet is keyed and to the other end of which is applied a mutilated pinion 48.

49 is a double-toothed rack riveted or otherwise attached to the sliding shield 39. This rack, as will be seen by reference to the drawings, consists of a frame or form having a row of teeth on each inner side, so located that one tooth of each row extends beyond the last tooth of the opposite row. The pinion, as will be seen, is provided with the same number of teeth as each row of the rack; but these teeth extend not quite half-way around the periphery of said pinion. It will therefore be understood that when said pinion revolves half-way around its last tooth will disengage with the rack on one side and its first advancing tooth will engage with the end tooth of the opposite rack and that the revolution of said pinion continuously in the same direction will by this means cause said rack to move to the right and left alternately.

The operation is as follows: When the bar 32 is thrown to the left by the sampler mechanism, the pawl 46 is drawn back and engages in a tooth of the crown-ratchet. When said bar 32 is thrown to the right by said mechanism, said pawl bearing against a tooth of said ratchet revolves the same a certain portion of a full revolution and acting through the shaft 47 correspondingly revolves the said pinion. The pinion acting upon the rack, as heretofore explained, causes said rack and attached shield carrying the split shovel to move intermittently across said spout, and said split shovel is in this manner moved across said spout and underneath the swinging boot, and by this means any variation in the size of the ore particles or any variation in the depth of the ore resting upon the conveyer due to unequal loading or to shifting by gravitation or otherwise is equalized and compensated. In other Words, the split shovel is at each discharge through the boot of a first cut or sample moved to a new position under the stream of falling ore.`

It will readily be understood that a simple crank 50 and pitman 5l, attached to the lower end of the shaft 47, Figs. 8 and 9, would cause the split shovel to move back and forth across the spout, and I desire to include such construction as a simple arrangement of this device; but I prefer the rack and pinion and consider itas superior to the above-mentioned arrangement for the reason that said rack and pinion move said shield and split shovel the same distance at each impulse, whereas the crank gives said shield a variable motion which is greatest when the crank is at right angle and is m'l when said crank is passing the centers.

1. In an ore-sampler, means for transferring the ore, and a sample-deiiector, combined with a rotary shaft, plungers thereon, and means interposed between said plungers and deiiector and actuated by said plun gers to vibrate the defiector, substantially as described.

2. In an ore-sampler, a sample-deiiecting device, combined with actuating mechanism therefor comprising a shaft, plungers adjustably arranged thereon, and means interposed between the plungers and deliecting device to actuate the deflecting device at any degree of revolution of the shaft, substantially as described.

3. Ahopper,aswingingboot atits discharge end, a spout into which the said boot discharges, and a split shovel projecting part way into said spout, in combination with a rotary shaft provided with plungers, and means interposed between said plungers and swinging boot and actuated by said plungers to vibrate the boot back and forth relatively to the spout and split shovel.

4. A hopper, a swinging boot atits discharge end, a spout into which the said boot discharges, and a split shovel projecting part way into said spout, in combination with a rotary shaft, spring-pressed plungers arranged upon said shaft, cams with which said plungers engage, levers linked to said swinging boot, and plunger-rods arranged in the path of movement of the said plungers and connected with the said levers, substantially as described.

5. In an ore-sampler, a rotaryshaft, springpressed plungers adjustably mounted thereupon, cams with which said plungers coact, a swinging boot, and means connected with the swinging boot and interposed in the path of movement of the plungers, whereby said swinging boot is vibrated as the shaf t rotates, substantially as described.

6. In an ore-sampler, the combination with a rotary shaft, a pulley thereon, a conveyer on said pulley, and a hopper next the discharge end of the conveyer, ot' spring-pressed plungers arranged upon said shaft at different angles, plunger-actuating cams, plungerrods applied to said cams and adapted to be actuated alternately by the spring-pressed plungers, a swinging boot applied to the discharge end of said hopper, and means interposed between the swinging boot and the plunger-rods by which the motion of the plunger-rods is imparted to the boot, substantially as described.

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7. In an ore-sampler, a swinging boot adapted to receive the ore,a main spout,and an auxiliary spout, combined with means to oscillate the auxiliary spout relatively to the main spout and swinging boot, substantially as described.

8. In an ore-sampler, the combination of a rotary shaft, plungers thereon, a swinging boot to receive the ore, a main spout, and an oscillating auxiliary spout, with a sliding shield mounted in the main spout and carrying the auxiliary spout, and means interposed between the plungers and sliding shield to impart movement to. the latter, substantially as described.

9. In an ore-sampler, the combination of a rotary shaft, plungers thereon, a swinging boot to receive the ore, a main spout, and an oscillating auxiliary spout, with a sliding shield mounted in the main spout and carrying the auxiliary spout, a double-toothed rack on the shield, a mutilated pinion engaging said rack, and means interposed between the plungers and said pinion to rotate the latter, substantially as described.

lO. In an ore-sampler, a main spout and an auxiliary spout, a sliding shield With which said auxiliary spout is connected, a shaft, means interposed between the said shaft and shield to convert the motion of the shaft into a reciprocation of the shield, and a pawland-ratchet mechanism to actuate said shaft, combined and arranged substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of February, A. D. 1901.

GEO. D. POTTER.

Vitnesses:

F. D. ALLEN, L. M. BUTLER. 

